Their compliments, among whom were not
only the Dauphine and all the princes of the blood, but even the grand
monarch himself thought it not beneath his dignity to give this proof of
his respect once or twice every week.
This way of living, and the company he was now associated with, gave
Horatio a manly way of thinking much sooner than otherwise perhaps he
might have had, yet did not rob him of his vivacity: some of the queen's
women, and the young ladies about the princess, particularly
mademoiselle Charlotta, had a thousand sprightly entertainments among
themselves, into which he, the baron de la Valiere, and some others who
had attachments at that court, were always admitted.
But now the time arrived in which he was to lose the society of that
valuable friend; the campaign was ready to open, and he was obliged to
head his troops and follow the marshals de Villars and Marsin
into Flanders.
All the conversation turning now on war, those martial inclinations,
which love and the season of the year had occasioned to lye dormant for
a while in the bosom of Horatio, now revived in him: he embraced the
baron at taking leave of him with tears of affection and regret: how
cruel is my fate, said he, to make me of a nation at enmity with yours,
and that I can neither fight for you nor against you!
Well, my dear Horatio, replied the other, France may hereafter have
occasion to employ your arm where there are no ties of duty to restrain
you: - in the mean time, continued he with a smile, softer engagements
may employ your thoughts; - mademoiselle Charlotta de Palfoy is a
conquest worth pursuing.
This was the first hint the baron had ever given him of the discovery he
had made of his sentiments, and it so much the more surprized him that
he was told by another what he was not certain of himself: - he knew
indeed the society of that young lady gave him infinite satisfaction,
and that he was restless when absent from her; but these words, and the
air with which they were spoke, shewed him more of his own heart than he
had before examined into; - he blush'd excessively, and made no answer;
on which, you have no cause, resumed the baron, to be asham'd of the
passion you are inspired with, nor troubled at my discovery of it: - I
assure you I have seen it a long time; and tho' you never honoured me
with your confidence in that point, have taken all opportunities of
doing justice to your merit in the conversations I have had with
mademoiselle, who I had the satisfaction to find was not displeased with
what I said upon that head; and I flatter myself with having a good
account of the progress you have made at my return.
